Note; District Meetings start at 5:00 pm and the Regional Receptions start at 6:00 pm. Watch for meeting locations in future issues of Newsroom or on our website, www.alaforestry.org.

LEGISLATURE RETURNS FOR SECOND SPECIAL SESSION

Gov. Robert Bentley has called lawmakers back for the Second Special Session of 2015 set to begin on Tuesday, Sept, 8 to address problems with the General Fund Budget. To paraphrase former New York Yankee's catcher Yogi Berra, this is "like deja vu all over again", times three.

Lawmakers passed a bare bones General Fund Budget in the 2015 Regular Session, but Bentley vetoed it. Then, they passed a bare bones budget out of the House and out of the Senate in the First Special Session of 2015, but could not agree on passing either version and adjourned the first special without a budget.

With the new fiscal year set to begin October 1, lawmakers will have 23 calendar days in which to expend 12 work days and pass a General Fund Budget. Stay Tuned!

CONGRESSMAN BRADLEY BYRNE TOURS DISTRICT

Alabama U.S. Congressman Bradley Byrne recently conducted a tour of agricultural and forestry facilities and employees across his 1st Congressional District in Southwest Alabama.

TEN ALABAMA COUNTIES HAVE MORE VOTERS THAN POPULATION ALLOWS

An organization called the Public Interest Legal Foundation has notified 10 counties in Alabama that they have more registered voters than voting age population.

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said he checked the numbers in the counties listed by the foundation and confirmed that all 10 had more registered voters than people 18 and older. The counties are Lowndes, Perry, Greene, Macon, Wilcox, Marengo, Hale, Washington, Conecuh and Choctaw. Read more...

FORISK ASSESSES HOUSING STARTS FOR 2015

Each quarter when updating our Forisk Research Quarterly forecast models, we revisit prior projections and review applied research on business and economic forecasting. In 2014, total housing starts increased 8.0% over 2013. For 2015, Forisk projects growth of 11.3% over 2014. Read more...

STATE LANDS TO BE LEASED FOR HUNTING

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, State Lands Division will conduct a public auction for hunting leases on certain State-owned lands, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015.

The auction will be held at the Richard Beard Building, 1445 Federal Dr., Montgomery, AL 36107. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the auction beginning at 10:15 a.m. For details, you can review the entire Bid Notice online or call State Lands at 334-242-3484 to request a copy. Tract maps also may be obtained by visiting this site or calling State Lands.

Finland continues to lead by example when it comes to utilizing its forest resources in practical, innovative and sustainable methods. The country has a robust forest products industry and recent developments further demonstrate its commitment to maintaining a strong forestry legacy. While softwood timber and lumber will always be popular Finnish exports, the country is home to some of the most advanced companies in the cellulosic biofuel and renewable energy sectors. Read more...

"WALK ON THE WILD SIDE"

Take a walk on the wild side at the upcoming Project Learning Tree workshop at the Montgomery Zoo on Thursday, September 10, 2015, beginning at 9 am to 3 pm. Project Learning Tree is an international, award-winning PreK-8 environmental education program featuring classroom-proven, hands-on learning activities for youth.

The $35 registration fee includes all materials, lunch, and entrance into the zoo. Information about the 2015 GreenWorks grant will also be available during the workshop. Continuing education credits will be available. Contact Brandy Cole: 334-481-2128 orbcole@alaforestry.org for details on how to register for this exciting workshop for teachers, environmental educators, Scout leaders, and others.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT NEW OT PAY RULES

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a proposed rule on July 6, 2015, that would change who qualifies for overtime pay.

Today, only 8% of salaried workers qualify for overtime pay—those workers who earn less than $23,660. The proposed rule will extend overtime pay to salaried workers who earn less than about $50,440 next year. Click here for breaking news on employee benefits.

AF&PA GIVES THE LATEST ON WOTUS RULING

We are providing this new information to supplement the overall WOTUS update we
provided on August 25th. Yesterday, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia denied a request by eleven states for a preliminary injunction, concluding the Circuit Court had jurisdiction over the matter. Read more...

AF&PA ACTION ALERT: CONTACT CONGRESS ON TRUCK WEIGHT ISSUE

AF&PA, along with the Coalition for Transportation Productivity, is working with Representative Reid Ribble (R-WI) to introduce legislation, the Safe, Flexible and Efficient Trucking Act (Safe Trucking Act), which would increase the weight limit for trucks traveling on Federal highways to 91,000 pounds. Read more...

OREGON LOGGERS SAY FEDS TO BLAME FOR fire DAMAGe

Oregon is in the midst of its third consecutive summer of severe forest fires, and industry professionals say logging limits on federal land are largely to blame. Read more...

SAWMILL DAYS SET FOR NOV. 7, 2015

Stockton will celebrate "Sawmill Days" as home of the first sawmill in Alabama on Saturday, November 7, 2015, from 9 am to 4 pm in Bicentennial Park.

NEW TREE FARM INSPECTOR TRAINING

With introduction of the 2015-2020 Standards of Sustainability, all Tree Farm inspectors are required to complete a workshop to familiarize themselves with the updated Standards.

An Inspector that has completed the workshop or at least one inspection since January 1, 2013 is eligible to take an online update. The online update is self-paced, has four segments and can be completed in an hour. It is approved for 1.0 Category 1 CFE credits. Username and password for this site is different from the Tree Farm website; contact state administrator or ATFS staff for access, eligibility.

If you are not eligible to take the online update and cannot locate convenient training near you, ATFS is piloting a four-hour Inspector Training Webinar, Wednesday, September 23, 2015 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm EDT. For more, contact mburns@forestfoundation.org. The workshop, about 4 hours, is approved for 3.5 Category 1 CFE.

FORESTRY WORKSHOP SET SEPT. 16 IN JASPER, ALA.

A forestry workshop will be held on Wednesday, September 16, 2015 in Jasper, AL. The workshop topics will be pond management, wildlife management, prescribed burning, forest certification, county logging notifications and forest ethics, law and liability. CFE units and PLM hours will be available for attending the workshop.

There is no charge to attend, however, reservations are requested by contacting Katherine with the Walker County Soil and Water Conservation District at (205) 387-1879 ext. 1.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR Forestry BOOKS

We now have two books that you can use to learn more about forestland management and the history of the forest products industry in Alabama. These books make outstanding gifts for birthdays, Christmas and any other gift-giving purpose. The book on the left, Green Gold: Alabama's Forests and Forest Industries, provides the first comprehensive history of forestry in Alabama, from when the Indians cleared forests for agriculture to the modern era.

The book on the right, Managing Forests on Private Lands in Alabama and the Southeast, is probably the best book every produced on managing forests for timber production and for preserving water and wildlife resources.

If you are interested in owning either or both of these books, contact Liz Chambers at (334) 481-2135 or lchambers@alaforestry.org.